Enjoy this bonus track featuring Willie Nelson’s classic hit “Night Life,” which was not included in the broadcast episode.

Ring in 2017 with Austin City Limits Hall of Fame New Year’s Eve on December 31, 2016 on PBS. For more visit acltv.com.

About the Episode
Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King and Kris Kristofferson are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Performers include Willie Nelson, Rodney Crowell, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and more. Hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally.

About the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame
The Austin City Limits Hall of Fame recognizes both performing artists and special individuals who have been instrumental in making the long-running show a music institution.

The 2016 ACL Hall of Fame inductees were celebrated at a ceremony held October 12, 2016, at ACL’s studio home, Austin’s ACL Live at The Moody Theater. Performers included Willie Nelson, Mavis Staples, Rodney Crowell, Gary Clark Jr., Billy Gibbons, B.B. King Band, Taj Mahal, and Eve Monsees. Comedy super couple Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally served as emcees for the evening.

The Austin City Limits Hall of Fame is located at The Moody Theater and consists of a photo gallery, timeline/anthology mural, and an interactive online library of Austin City Limits content.

About Austin City Limits
ACL offers viewers unparalleled access to featured acts in an intimate setting that provides a platform for artists to deliver inspired, memorable, full-length performances. The program is taped live before a concert audience from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. ACL is the longest-running music series in American television history and remains the only TV series to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts. Since its inception, the groundbreaking music series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. The historic KLRU Studio 6A, home to 36 years of ACL concerts, has been designated an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark. In 2011, ACL moved to the new venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. ACL received a rare institutional Peabody Award for excellence and outstanding achievement in 2012.

ACL is produced by KLRU-TV and funding is provided in part by Dell, the Austin Convention Center Department, Shiner Beers and HomeAway.com. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.

It was another love fest in Austin with Willie Nelson & Family at his Three Night New Year’s Eve Celebration Extravaganza. There is something so special about ending the year listening to Willie Nelson sing and then start the next year listening to Willie Nelson sing. It erased the craziness that was 2016 and sent us all into 2017 feeling good and hopeful. And he has the coolest friends who want to hang out with him and play.

photo: Gary A. Miller

For the sixth year, ACL has hosted Willie Nelson & Family and Friends to perform at the Moody Theater at 310 Willie Nelson Boulevard in downtown Austin. The ACL Live Moody Theater was completed in 2011, and that December was the first Willie Nelson and Friends New Year’s Eve Celebration. That first year, Ray Price joined Willie Nelson & Family bring in the New Year. Recent years have included Kacey Musgraves, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, with Willie Nelson and Family. Sturgil Simpson opened for the band in 2014. John Stamos has been known to show up and sit in with the band on percussion.

photo: Gary A. Miller

This year, Ryan Bingham performed all three nights before WN&F. Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real flew in from shows in Jackson Hole, Wyoming to open the show, and then Lukas came back on stage after Ryan Bingham’s set, to play with WN&F. Ray Benson, of Asleep at the Wheel, joined Willie and the band on Thursday and Friday nights. On New Year’s Eve, as in years past, rock and roll hall of famer and blues guitarist Billy Gibbons played with Willie for a few songs in the opening set, before leaving to go play music at another gig.

Keeping with tradition, at midnight Father Time Texas descended from the ACL Moody Theater ceiling, accompanied by the New Year Baby. Andy Langer served as MC and helped with the countdown to midnight and introducing Willie Nelson. “New York has Anderson Cooper. LA has Ryan Seacrest. We have Willie Nelson. We win! Austin wins!”

Willie Nelson lead us in rowdy version of Aulde Lang Zyne, and then a cake was brought out for Sister Bobbie, who’s birthday is on January 1st, and Willie and the crowd sang happy birthday to her. Then, Willie was off and running with Whiskey River. And the audience loved him, and cheered at all his hits, laughing at his escapades with almost getting busted in Laredo and singing very convincingly that Willie was always on their mind. The last show on New Year’s Eve had the liveliest crowd, and fans stood up for the entire concert, which is what I always like to do.

Willie comes out on stage wearing his black hat, and plays a few songs before he sets his hat on an amp and picks up one of the bandannas, already tied, stacked on top another amp, and puts it on. It is always exciting to hear the crowd cheer when he puts on the bandanna. And then they squeal even louder when he tosses them out to fans in the crowd. I lost count how many bandannas he tossed out over the weekend, six the first night, I know. On New Year’s eve, these two fans were having so much fun dancing and enjoying the music, and Willie tossed them one of his bandannas. Sorry it’s so dark, but I just had my cell phone, no other camera at the shows. If you squint, it isn’t so bad.

I love seeing Willie Nelson fans flock to the stage when Tunin’ Tom bring Trigger out to his stand before a Willie Nelson & Family Show. After the first bands have played, and folks are heading for drinks and the bathroom and stretching their legs before WN&F come on stage, and then Tom brings out Willie’s famous guitar. Budrock has it lit softly, people see it right away and start heading to the stage to play their respects. Old folks, young folks, mamas with baby’s in their arms come to the stage for pictures and selfies with the famous instrument.

I always have to head up the stage too, say hello to the guitar, take a photo, too. I took this one.

Trigger and Willie worked hard every night playing such great music for us fans. Here’s the set list from the first of three shows at ACL on December 29, 2016.

Willie Nelson has invited family and friends to celebrate the end of the year in Austin, with three nights of concerts on December 29, 30 and 21st. The concert will be at the Moody Theater, Austin City Live, in downtown Austin.

Special guest Ryan Bingham will perform all three nights, and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real will perform on New Year’s Eve.

I am thinking of you today because it is Christmas,
and I wish you happiness.
And tomorrow, because it will be the day after Christmas,
I shall still wish you happiness; and so on throughout the year.
I may not be able to tell you about it every day because I may be far away,
or because both of us may be very busy, or perhaps I cannot even afford to pay the postage on so many letters;
or find the time to write them.
But that makes no difference. The thought and the wish will be here just the same
In my work and in the business of life I mean to try not to be unfair to you in any way.
In my pleasure if we can be together, I would like to share the fun with you.
Whatever joy or success that comes to you will make me glad.
Without pretense, and in plain words Good Will is what I mean.
May the spirit of Christmas be yours throughout the year.

Willie Nelson has invited family and friends to celebrate the end of the year in Austin, with three nights of concerts on December 29, 30 and 21st. The concert will be at the Moody Theater, Austin City Live, in downtown Austin.

Special guest Ryan Bingham will perform all three nights, and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real will perform on New Year’s Eve.